One year ago, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law, creating thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania.

According to an article on PRNewswire, in Pennsylvania, the success of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is clear. It has preserved 84,000 Pennsylvania jobs, according to a report from the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.

Extended unemployment and food stamp benefits have kept Pennsylvanians who lost their jobs from losing everything. Those benefits, coupled with the Making Work Pay tax cut, put money back into Pennsylvania communities and businesses when they needed it most. A study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that 189,000 Pennsylvanians were kept out of poverty last year as a result of these types of benefits in the Recovery Act.

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Two companies will soon help to create more Pennsylvania jobs (Click here).

Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Company of Pennsylvania Inc. will become North America’s largest processor of dark air-cured tobacco and Alpha Mills Corp. will create almost two dozen new jobs thanks to $2.7 million in new state investments.

“Even in a tough economy, we are helping businesses grow and become better able to compete in the global economy,” Gov. Edward G. Rendell said. “It’s vitally important that we continue our work to keep businesses in Pennsylvania and to bring new companies within our borders. If we lose the ability to do this, these crucial projects will go elsewhere.”

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State and federal officials have formulated a plan to help save thousands of PA retail jobs.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently approved a plan that Gov. Edward G. Rendell initiated in November 2008. The plan will provide a $43.7 million loan to help save 24 Boscov’s department stores and retain the company’s 5,000 employees throughout Pennsylvania.

“This is great news for Pennsylvania, its people, communities and one of our most respected businesses,” Rendell said. “Boscov’s has been a cornerstone of many communities in Pennsylvania since 1918. Today, with 24 locations throughout the state and more than 5,000 employees, they remain a significant part our economy.

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The establishment of two new companies will help create more jobs in Pennsylvania. Click here to see more.

Gov. Edward G. Rendell recently announced that Diversapack LLC and Advanced Metal Processing will establish new facilities in Blair County, Pa. Those two projects will help create 185 jobs during the next three years and bring $21 million in total investment to the area.

“These projects are particularly good news now, because our state is struggling through the worst economic recession since the Great Depression and it’s taken its toll,” Rendell said. “In the last year, Pennsylvania’s number of unemployed people has jumped 206,000, pushing our unemployment rate to 8.2 percent. Here in Blair County, that rate is somewhat better at 7.6 percent, but it’s still far higher than the 5.0 percent it was a year ago.

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A new initiative could help create a slew of PA teaching jobs in important fields.

Gov. Edward G. Rendell recently announced a proposal to increase student achievement, address teacher shortages and prepare the state’s future workforce for high-demand fields. The proposal would allow skilled professionals in the science, technology, engineering and math fields to share their expertise.

The proposal would institute residency teaching certificates to attract mid-career professionals to teaching positions. The proposal is a response to President Barack Obama’s call for “innovative work” at the state level to promote math and science education. Pennsylvania also is one of only six states that received a National Governors Association grant to establish a STEM Center.

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Gov. Edward G. Rendell recently announced his plan to invest in three venture capital firms that will help create biotech jobs in PA.

The Commonwealth Financing Authority recently approved $5 million in new investments to the firms through the New PA Venture Capital Investment program, which provides loans to venture capital firms to invest in growth-stage companies. The three firms are expected to leverage an additional $15 million in private investments that will be used to support more than 20 early stage companies in Pennsylvania.

The New PA Venture Capital Investment program was authorized to provide $60 million in loans to venture capital managers and leverage another $180 million in private equity for a total investment of $240 million in the local economy. According to the National Venture Capital Association, Pennsylvania is currently third in the nation in jobs created by venture-backed companies.

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Thousands of Pennsylvania jobs will be created by new projects in Allegheny County.

Gov. Edward G. Rendell recently announced his support for 12 projects throughout the county that will generate almost half a billion dollars in total investment and create or retain about 6,750 jobs. Rendell noted that Pittsburgh has received a lot of attention for its revitalization efforts during the last six years.

“Pennsylvania has not been immune to the challenges of the national recession, but here in Allegheny County, we’re seeing a solid return on our investments in projects that create jobs and improve the quality of life,” Rendell said in a press release. “We’ve invested in this region and reinvigorated downtown Pittsburgh by building on our strengths—our workforce, some of the world’s best universities, and our talents in the creative economy.

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Volunteers with Pennsylvania firefighter jobs now have the opportunity to get their hands on some grant money.

Gov. Edward G. Rendell recently announced that about $559,200 in federal grant funds are available to help the state’s rural communities guard against fires in forested, undeveloped and unprotected areas. The grants are offered through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with funds coming from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

About 200 volunteer firefighter companies throughout the state were helped with the grants during 2008 and more than $7.5 million has been awarded since 1982. A total of $559,200 in federal funds is being made available to Pennsylvania volunteers this year. Nearly 200 fire companies across the state were helped with grants through the program in 2008.

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Many people are finding themselves without a Pennsylvania career.

According to a press release, the State of Pennsylvania’s non-farm employment dropped by 27,100 jobs during December, while the unemployment rate increased to 6.7 percent. While not many jobs have been gained, the state’s unemployment rate has been equal to or less than the national unemployment rate for 70 of the past 72 months.

“We are experiencing some of the most significant job losses we’ve seen in 18 years,” Governor Edward G. Rendell said in the release. “These are difficult times for Pennsylvania’s working families, and even more difficult for those who have lost their jobs due to the current economic conditions. I want to reassure residents that we are committed to providing them with the resources they need to make it through these tough times.”

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The nation’s oil and gas industry is creating many Pennsylvania careers.

According to a recent study, The Economic Impact of the Oil and Gas Industry in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry is a great direct and indirect contributor to the economy, generating more than $7.1 billion in economic output each year. The study was prepared by the Pennsylvania Economy League of Southwestern Pennsylvania, an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, at the request of the Marcellus Shale Committee.

According to an article by Market Watch, the study states the oil and gas industry employs 26,500 workers, as well as additional full and part-time jobs in other industries for each job created in the oil and gas industry.

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